Brave New World
by Always Your Flower
Summary: Lily always knew where her life was going, even if her parents couldn't support her. When she turns of age she leaves her family for a training academy to fight a war her father's been fighting his whole life. At the academy Lily meets several people including her new instructors, Cam Marlow who has it out for her, and Scorpius Malfoy who is both infuriating and extremely complex
1. At only Seventeen

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or the characters**

Lily woke up on her seventeenth birthday knowing exactly how the day would end. Today would be her last day with her mother and childhood instructor. Both of her brothers had made the decision and now it was her turn. Her mother begged her not to choose the life her father and brothers had. They argued over Lily's decision several times, never coming to an agreement or compromise.

"_Please," Ginny Potter begged her daughter. "Don't leave us. You can live in the country like your cousin Rosie."_

"_Mom, I'm not Rosie," She put her hands on her hips and set her jaw, something she had picked up from her mother. "I was born for this."_

"_You feel like that now, but what about when they send you away from here?" She shuddered, "Or worse, they could send you on the front line."_

"_Don't be dramatic mother!" Lily snorted, "I've already made my decision. I'm going to the training station once I'm of age."_

They had many more discussions on the topic, all of which Lily disregarded. She had made up her mind much to her mother's dismay. As she rolled out of bed she decided to shower before breakfast. She let the warm water run down her spine, enjoying the comfort of having her own bathroom for the last time. She towel dried her auburn locks and threw on a large shirt and comfortable shorts before heading downstairs to the dining room. Her father was away on another mission, so it would be her, her mother, and Gladys her primary teacher. Gladys, a plump woman with dark skin and eyes, knew her magic quite well. Although she learned a lot from Gladys it was her mother that taught her the famous bat bogey hex among other spells that were necessary to know for survival. Ginny swept into the room just after Lily with plates full of breakfast food. Lily looked at her mother for a moment longer than normal, studying her face trying to memorize every line. Truthfully Ginny Potter had aged quite well, not looking a day over thirty. As her mother set the food down Lily prepared herself for the conversation to come.

"Mum," Lily started slowly. Her mother was humming a tune and hadn't noticed her daughter's attempts to engage her. Lily cleared her throat loudly. "Mum," Ginny looked up seemingly coming out of a daze and turned towards her daughter.

"Yes darling?"

Lily breathed evenly. "I'm leaving this evening for the Wizard Training Academy." There was not a lick of hesitation in her voice as her mother's face dropped.

Ginny's eyes widened at Lily's words. "You can't leave today! You haven't even had a chance to see your father and talk to him about this decision."

"I know, but he's been gone for over three months." Her father was often gone for missions that sometimes lasted as long as nine months. That would be Lily's future. "I already sent an owl last week. They will be expecting me on the train." There was no room for argument in Lily's voice. She had one last chance to back out, but she wasn't taking it. Her mother huffed before walking out of the room.

Gladys reached across the table for Lily's hand. "Are you really sure about this?"

She smiled kindly at Gladys. She was such a gentle women, but she could be fierce when she needed to. "Yes, I made my decision a long time ago." Gladys released her hand without another word.

After breakfast Lily went to her room looking for the last time at the familiar walls and the comfortable bed she had grown accustomed to. She saw her luxury items that she would no longer be allowed. She hated that she was hurting her mother, but she had an obligation to herself. She could never be satisfied living the life that her cousins Rosie and Victoire had chosen. Victiore's husband, Teddy Lupin was often away working towards ending the war, while Rosie only had the company of her books. With a sad smile she began packing her bags only taking the necessities. She took mostly black clothes, worried that she would look childish in anything else. She had always been petite and she knew it could work against her at the Academy. Her brothers both had strong statures and had thrived at the Academy. Albus had been second in his group, only behind Scorpius Malfoy. Her other brother James had worked his way up in ranks and was fighting along side their father, the great Harry Potter. Lily was just about finished with her packing when she heard a light knock on the door.

Ginny stepped in the room smiling sadly at her daughter. Lily could see the dark circles under her eyes, which were now looking redder than they had at breakfast. "Lily, I don't want to argue," she held up her hands as if showing she had no weapon.

"Ok, mum," Lily got up walking over to her mother and hugging her fiercely. The two often fought, but it was always out of love. She could feel her mother begin to sob on her shoulder. "It's ok, mum," Lily cooed, "This is really what I want to do…what I have to do."

"I-I kn-know," Ginny choked out between sobs. She took three large breaths calming herself down, "I just never wanted this life for you."

"I know mum," Lily comforted her mother as best she could. She never had a nurturing personality, but she always tried for her mother. By lunch Ginny seemed much more cheery. She was humming again with a grin on her face. The three women ate their lunch in a comfortable silence. After she finished eating Lily began making her way up to her room, when her mother stopped her.

"I have a surprise for you," Ginny led her daughter into the living room where Lily sat on the cozy sofa. When she was a girl, Lily used to trace the flowers on the couch imagining what they might smell like. She wasn't able to leave the house often due to the war. In the past years it had calmed down, but Lily knew that it was only a matter of time before the death eaters rose up again.

Ginny placed a small package in front of Lily wrapped in a beautiful lilac wrapping paper. A small smile crept onto Lily's face at the gesture. She reached for the package when her mother stopped her.

"Wait, there's something else," she walked into the next room and when she returned she wasn't alone.

"Daddy!" Lily threw herself into her father's expecting arms. She took in his woodsy smell and wanted to cry. This would be the last time she would see her father and mother together for over six months. She held back the tears seeing more of her family over her father's shoulders. Behind her mother stood her cousins Rose and Victiore. Victiore was visibly pregnant and glowing beautifully. She was made for the life she chose, living in the country, keeping house, and settled down with a nice man, but that life was never meant for Lily.

Lily sat with her cousins discussing ideas for baby names and the latest book that Rose had read. Her father stood off to the corner for much of the evening, almost as if he were ready to leave at a moments notice.

Lily enjoyed her time with her family, but couldn't help the remorse she felt at the direction her life was taking. As the guests left Lily finally opened the present her mother had given her earlier. It was a beautiful Lily pendant that was encrusted with diamonds and white gold.

'Do you like it?" her father asked from behind her. She nodded holding out the necklace for him to put on her. She lifted her hair as her father clasped the chain around her neck.

"Thank you," she smiled at her parents. Her father scooped her into a tight hug, similar to the kind he would give her when she was just a little girl and he was leaving again. "I'm so proud of you flower."

"Thank you, dad." Lily's eyes watered, but she bit back the tears. She had always been tougher than her other female cousins, rarely crying or showing emotions. Lily looked at the clock that hung on the wall knowing she was running low on time. "I should get my bag." She took her time making sure she packed everything she needed before making her way back down the stairs. Both of her parents were waiting outside her room, her mother already crying. She was grateful her father controlled his emotions better. They used the Floo Network to get to the train station, something that was mostly done as a precaution, in case someone was watching them. Lily had never been to the station before and looked around with blatant awe on her face. She quickly composed herself still soaking in her surroundings. The station was large, but empty. It looked as if it hadn't been cared for in years with crumpled papers lying on the ground and a very dusty feel to the whole place. Lily jumped as she heard a loud whistle blown coming from the train tracks. She turned back to her parents, eyes wide.

"I just want you to know I love you both," she couldn't hide the small bit of fear from her voice. She turned toward her father to say the thing she had always struggled with most. "I don't blame you, dad. I know you did what you had to for us." She hugged him quickly turning to her mother as she heard the second whistle blow. "I hope I haven't disappointed you too much," she turned walking toward the large train that had appeared. If her mother responded Lily couldn't hear it as the third whistle blew indicating the last chance to get on. Lily swung her bag over her should climbing on the train and choosing a seat as far away from the window as possible. She couldn't bear to see her parents' faces as she left them for good. Her mind was racing with thoughts of her family and their potential disappointment. She pushed everything aside and decided to concentrate on the empty chair across from her.

"Mind if I sit here?" Lily was taken by surprise at the tall, gangly boy standing in front of her. A smaller girl, not much bigger than Lily, who smiled shyly without showing any teeth, accompanied him. Lily nodded as the boy sat across from her and the girl took the empty seat next to her. "I'm Eric Zabini," he held out his hand toward Lily, which she hesitated to shake. She wasn't used to people she didn't know being overly friendly. "And this is my sister Tash Zabini, she's a little shy." Lily looked at her with a small amount of pity on her face.

"Hi," Tash said barely audibly. Lily could tell from the girl's introverted personality she wouldn't last long at the Academy.

"Hello," Lily responded as the train began to move causing Tash to stir in her seat. Eric opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off by a booming voice.

"Welcome," said a strangely cruel voice. "To the rest of your life."

**AN: Ok so this is a new fic that I have had bouncing around in my head for a while. It's pretty different from my other stories if you've read them, but I'm hoping you will give it a chance. I know this chapter is short, but future chapters will be longer. This was just to get the story going. Let me know what you think.**


	2. Malfoy and Marlow

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or the characters**

Lily soon learned the voice came from a man named Cam Marlow, and that he was not a nice person, to put it mildly. On the train ride he had picked on several of the unassuming passengers. When he came around to Lily he eyed her like a predator. She was sure he was trying to make her squirm, but she refused. He smiled maliciously as he moved on making poor Tash wiggle in her seat. Eric straightened his posture, transforming his face to match the cruelty on the one in front of him. Marlow nodded to him before moving on.

Lily couldn't find one thing appealing about his face, but that might simply have been because he walked around with a scornful look all the time. Upon arrival he approached Lily. Up close she could see that he may have once been handsome, but time had not been kind to his face. He couldn't be more than five or six years older than her. His dark brown hair curled in crude tendrils, not much unlike Lily's. But Lily's hair had a glow to it, and her auburn hair shone in the sunlight, whereas Marlow's looked like a black hole, sucking the life from everything around him.

"This should be interesting," he said standing next to her, facing forward. "What's a pretty little thing like you doing at the hardest training facility in England?"

Lily thought about her next words carefully, deciding on a witty comeback.

"Marlow, are you scaring our new trainees already?" Lily looked up at the person that just spoke. The boy looked to be young, probably only a couple years older than her. His silver blonde hair was short and quite messy, as if he had just been on a broom. He looked vaguely familiar, but she couldn't figure out from where. He wore dark pants and a black shirt, nothing that stood apart from everyone else. The boy turned to her.

"It's just too easy these days," he said before turning to leave.

"Ignore him," the other boy said to her as Marlow walked away. "He gets kicks out of scaring people."

"I wasn't scared," Lily said. "Before you came along I was going to tell him where he could shove that stupid smile of his."

"You're a feisty one. But I wouldn't do that. Marlow is going to be one of your instructors for the next year and he could make your life hell. It's better to just let it go, trust me."

Lily rolled her eyes at the boy in front of her. Who did he think he was? She turned to leave, but he fell into step beside her.

"What's your name anyways?"

Lily ignored his question, not wanting people to connect her name to her father and brothers who trained before her.

"I'm Lil," she said.

"Nice to meet you," he said in a rush. "I have to go. Hopefully I'll see you around." Lily doubted it, it was a big place. She was still growing accustom to being in the outdoors, and seeing the sunlight. There were tall walls keeping them safe from potential threats, which was an often occurrence from what her brothers had told her. Albus had explained within the first month he had been training there were three drills regarding intruder alerts. Before she could ask the strangers name he was gone, swiftly walking in the opposite direction they had just been walking.

Lily wandered the grounds for as long as she dared, exploring the gardens and fitness areas. She found herself in a large library at the end of her exploration and made herself comfortable. Her only adventures growing up were in the books she read, so she took a bit of comfort in the large room with more books than she could imagine. Some of the books held stories, like the ones she had read growing up, but others held important information regarding magic and even some with dark magic. She wondered aimlessly through the tall rows of books, inhaling the scent of old worn pages. She felt like she would be content to stay there for her duration of training, but decided to see where she would be bunking.

As much as she would have liked to avoid the wretched Marlow she knew he was the one that would be showing her and the others where they were bunking. Lily eventually caught up with the some of the others from the train ride. They formed a group and waited for their instructor outside of the main building, which none of them dared to enter alone. The large brick building intimidated most of the group, but Lily found herself intrigued by the old building.

"Ok everyone line up." Lily looked up, surprised at the voice she heard. She was expecting the cold boom from Marlow, and was surprised to see the boy from earlier. Lily took her spot next to Eric, his sister, Tash on the other side of him. He looked at her as if there was something he wanted to say, but kept quiet.

"I'm Malfoy. I'm going to be your instructor and facilitator along with Marlow for the duration of your training."

It struck Lily why she thought he looked familiar when she met him. Her father had shown her books about a different war that was much like the current one, with different people. She remembered that the Malfoy's weren't on her father's side, but he didn't speak begrudgingly of them. The boy in front of her looked like another from an old picture, probably the same age as her father at the time of the war.

Malfoy showed them around the grounds, officially. Explaining areas that were off limits. Lily was relieved to hear that the library was open at all times, so if she had trouble sleeping she knew where to go to find comfort. Finally they reached their dorms. Lily felt quite tired, and the sun had went down hours ago. Lily was relieved to find out that she would be bunking with Tash, and across the hall from Eric. After Malfoy had finished speaking, Lily and Tash went into their dorm, and began unpacking. Training would be starting the next day, so the girls quickly turned the lights out and fell into bed. Before either of them could find sleep there was a knock on the door. Lily rolled out of bed.

"I'll get it," Tash offered. "It's probably Eric coming to see that we settled in ok."

"I'm already out of bed," Lily said. She opened the door finding Malfoy standing there casually leaning against the door frame. She had to admit he was something to look at. His gray eyes evaluated her before he spoke.

"I'm just checking up to see how you settled in." It was a lame excuse and he knew it, but she didn't seem to notice.

"Yes, we're fine. Thank you," she said curtly.

"Have I done something to offend you?" The way she eyed him was accusatory, and he could see her hand gripping the door a little too tightly.

She rolled her eyes, taking a step outside of her room and shutting the door behind her. "I don't know, you probably should have told me who you were earlier."

"Hey, I was in a hurry." He didn't sound apologetic, and he wasn't. He didn't owe her an explanation for the way he behaved.

"But you knew, and didn't say a thing."

His eyebrows rose slightly. "Yes, I knew, but it doesn't really matter, does it?"

Lily thought about his words for a moment, deciding it wasn't really worth it to get off on the wrong foot with both of her instructors. "I guess it doesn't." Lily looked around scanning the hallway. "Where's Marlow?"

"Oh, he escorted you guys here, so he gets the night off. Don't worry he'll be back tomorrow." The sarcasm and dislike was evident in his voice as he spoke of Marlow, but Malfoy didn't care.

The two stood quietly, facing each other in an awkward silence. Malfoy finally broke the silence with the question Lily knew was coming.

"So, "Lil", huh?"

Lily shifted her weight impatiently. "I don't want people to hear my name and make assumptions."

"I know the feeling," his voice was surprisingly soft, and it caught Lily off guard.

"Really?" Lily looked at him this time, really looked at him. His tousled silver hair fell clumsily into his face, almost blocking his gray eyes. His face was made up of sharp angles, but as he stood in front of her it softened. He was quite a bit taller than Lily, and she imagined standing on her toes to brush her hands through his hair, or across his pale soft skin.

'Yeah," he said after a moment, his voice hardening slightly. His demeanor transformed as he straightened himself up. "You should get to sleep. Tomorrow your training starts."

She watched him walk down the hallway, knowing she was going to have trouble sleeping after their encounter.

**AN: Hi all. I know I have neglected this story for a while, but I can ignore it no longer! I have so many ideas for this story to go, and I am hoping people like it. Reviews are appreciated, and if you have anything particular you would like to see/know about this story just ask. **


	3. Physicality

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or the characters**

The trainees were woken before the sun came up, but Lily had already expected that. From the little bit that her bothers had told her about their experience Lily knew two things. Firstly that she would not sleep well for the next year, probably the rest of her life. Secondly that there was a lot more to training than knowing spells, and she would learn how to survive in the war.

They started with the initial PT test, which Lily knew she would fail before they entered the gym. Cam eyed all the girls, as if calculating which would pass the test, and those that were wasting their time. He paused at Lily, but didn't seem to come to a conclusion. Marlow hadn't spoken much since he woke the trainees up, only sneering as the sleepy, miserable faces emerged from their dorms. Lily was surprised when he left them with no further instruction.

"What the hell?" Eric snapped. He was clearly not a morning person. "He wakes us up before dawn and then just dumps us here. What is this some kind of sick joke?" Lily had to admit there was some sense to his logic, but before she could agree with him she was cut off.

"I'm Frank Longbottom. I will be evaluated your physical tests, and helping you prepare for further evaluations that will determine you eligibility to stay at this training facility." Lily briefly evaluated the man in front of her. He seemed vaguely familiar, like many faces, but it was his large build that struck her. He was not particularly tall, but held himself well. He was handsome, and probably in his mid twenties, though that was only a guess on Lily's part. Before she could thoroughly examine his face he clapped his hands together and called out a name off the chart he held under his arm. "Don't just sit around while I evaluate individuals."

Lily and Eric took that cue and headed toward the weights. Tash wondered off in another direction, which Lily didn't pay attention to. The two didn't talk, mainly due to the effort Lily had to exert while she tried to lift more than she could handle. Finally her name was called and she was led into a smaller room with several machines she couldn't even fathom working.

"Lily Potter," the man, Frank Longbottom, said as she entered the room.

"Yes," Lily said, still eyeing the machinery. He followed her line of site, and smiled down at his paper.

"I haven't seen you in years. You probably don't even remember me, but I used to babysit you." He gestured for her to take a seat, and as she did, began hooking her up to several wires. "Nothing to worry about. First I just have to test your vitals, make sure you are fit according to the machines."

Lily nodded and put her hand on the table, and relaxed herself as much as she could.

"How's little Rosie?" Frank asked without looking up at Lily as he continued to hook up wires, first to her arms and then her neck, and finally her legs.

"She's not so little anymore," Lily said without thinking. Rose was almost a head taller than Lily. "She lives out in the country. Away from the war. Away from all this." She said the last part without thinking. Frank finally looked up from his papers, with an unreadable expression.

"She always was smart," was all he said and then smiled. "You know she asked me to marry her when she was four. I was eight, so naturally I wanted no part of that."

"She lives in a little house filled with books on Teddy and Vic's land. It's a quiet life, one that only she could appreciate." Lily flexed her fingers, finding it hard to hold still for the detectors.

"Well," Frank stood up. "This part of your test looks all good. Now for the run. Tomorrow we do strength training." He seemed to forget about the conversation they were having and morphed into training mode. "You need to do two and half miles in twenty minutes. It isn't as easy as most people think."

"I didn't expect it to be," Lily murmured as she stepped on the machine. She knew she wouldn't make that time, but hoped she could work up to it. She didn't think about it, and just started running. Her mind was racing with thoughts, and she struggled to clear it. She focused on a rhythm for her feet, but knew it wasn't enough. She didn't keep track of time or distance, so when Frank told her she could stop she did. The machine slowed her to a walk, and she was heaving, sweat dripping down her face.

"Ok, Potter," Frank said, all business. "Not too bad, but not good enough. You're in the category that is allowed to stay for a month, but after that you have to improve your time. You're at twenty two and a half minutes, so it is doable, but you are going to have to work. Work hard." He pushed a button causing the machine to stop completely.

She stepped off, her legs wobbly. The more she stood on them, the more she thought she would collapse. Her cheeks were bright red and she had small beads of sweat dripping off her forehead and neck.

"Lily," Frank said before she left the room. "Could you tell Rosie I said hi?"

"Sure thing." Lily said before closing the door. She looked around for Eric, but only spotted Tash, who was on a treadmill running faster than Lily ever could. It suddenly struck Lily that perhaps Tash was quiet, but she could also be dangerous, especially if she was any good at spells.

Trying to find any energy to continue her workout was useless, so Lily took a seat. She briefly wondered what she was doing at the Academy, but quickly dismissed that line of thought, She was sure with little effort she could convince herself that her mother had been right, that she didn't belong here, and that she should just give up.

"You shouldn't just be sitting here," Eric said, taking a seat next to her. "Tash has energy for days. That's the reason she wanted to come here to the Academy." The dark boy watched his sister as she moved from a running machine to one that had an incline. It hadn't occurred to Lily that perhaps the only reason Eric joined was because his sister did. She figured it was the other way around. "Come on," Eric said standing up and pulling Lily with him. "We'll do something easy." Lily stood with Eric reluctantly.

"If you have time to flirt, then we clearly aren't pushing you hard enough," said a familiar voice. "Zabini I think your name was just called, and after that you can give me fifty push ups. Potter why don't you go to the rope." Malfoy looked serious as he spoke to them, and Lily felt a flare of anger run through her as Eric nodded and quickly went to his PT test. Lily hated the rope, and though Malfoy would know that, she was sure he chose one of the hardest exercises for her. Not only was it hard, but everyone could see when she failed, and she knew she couldn't make it to the top. It was bound to be embarrassing.

The rope burned in her hands as she began pulling herself up. The tears were there as she pushed her body, but she suppressed them. She wouldn't let Malfoy make her cry. But she just couldn't reach the top. She was over half way there, but her arms wouldn't let her go any further. They were weak, and she was weak. Instead of trying to maneuver herself down, Lily let go of the rope and dropped to the ground, She was at least twenty feet off the ground, and Malfoy was the first one to her. She had survived worse falls, and quickly stood up, brushing herself off. Without looking at him she walked past him and out of the building.

Of course she couldn't get away with that, and Marlow was outside, almost as if he knew she would be coming.

"Giving up already?" He mocked while taking a drag off his cigarette.

"No." Lily said, her eyes hard. Despite his smile, she knew he was dangerous. "I-I just needed some fresh air, that's all." It was clear he enjoyed her anxiety.

"Well unless you are given permission you aren't allowed to leave the gym." He took a step closer and threw his cigarette on the ground. "Do you know what the punishment is for disobedience?" He lowered his voice, and Lily could smell the cigarette on his breath.

"Marlow leave the girl alone." Lily wanted to jump when she heard the voice from behind her, but she held her position.

"Come on, I'm just having a little fun." Despite his words, he backed away from Lily, so she could turn to see her brother's face. Albus almost choked on air when he saw his little sister. "I suppose you have some attachment to this one," Marlow said nonchalantly. "Don't think I'll go easy on her." He turned his attention back to Lily briefly. "And don't make the mistake of thinking you big brother will always be there to save you. When I get back you better not be out here." With that he turned on his heel and left.

Lily wanted to cry after Marlow was out of sight, but held it in. Albus pulled her in for a hug. "Thank you," she choked out.

"Listen to me Lils," he spoke quietly and quickly in her ear. "Don't trust anyone. Marlow is a dangerous bloke. I've seen what that asshole can do. Stay as far away from him as you can." He pulled back Lily could see the worry written all over his face, making him look like an exact replica of their father.

"I'll try, but he is one of my instructors." He didn't say it, but Lily knew Albus was worried about that.

"Who else?" he said quickly. His voice was still low, and Lily had a feeling they weren't supposed to be talking.

"What?" She felt confused, or maybe just tired.

"Who else is your instructor?"

"Oh, um, Malfoy. And Frank Longbottom for PT." Lily was looking at her brother, trying to find some kind of hint at what he was thinking, but he gave none. Before he could respond he looked up at something or someone past her. He pulled her in for another quick hug.

"I have to go. I wish you hadn't come here, Lils, but I love you. Be careful." With that he released her and was gone before she could even respond.

Subtly Lily reentered the gym. She worked on a machine in one of the corners, away from the others for the remainder of the time. When it was finally time for lunch she stayed in the back of the line. Eric and Tash were in the front, but both made their way to where Lily was. They didn't speak, but Tash put her hand on Lily's shoulder to comfort her, which did. They ate together, and Lily spotted Malfoy eyeing the three of them, while a pretty brunette was talking to him.

She lost her appetite when Marlow entered and looked directly at Lily. He smiled and looked around, as if to say "your brother isn't here now". She knew she was going to have to watch her back. She put her fork down, pushed her auburn braid behind her shoulder and stood up to leave. After lunch the trainees had free time, and Lily spent hers away from everyone in the library. She curled up in an armchair with a book on potions, and fell asleep there. She was only asleep for twenty minutes when she jerked awake, not wanting to oversleep. Next on the schedule was class, which they would have twice a day. She went early to the classroom, and spent her time reading from the textbook on defensive spells.

Marlow taught the class on defensive spells, and Lily dreaded it, after only the first day. She didn't like seeing him, but then he found any excuse to pick on the trainees. On the first day he picked on Tash. He cast a fire spell, in a contained area with her in it. Lily was happy that she seemed to need little effort to block the fire.

After class ended it was time for dinner, and Lily couldn't stop her eyes from roaming the room. Her eyes locked on a table in the distance, where her brother was sitting. He didn't seem to notice her, and Lily figured that was for the best. Lily had one more class after dinner, but already felt ready for the night to be over. She wanted to rest her eyes, and forget the past twelve hours.

As opposed to the afternoon class the evening class went somewhat smoother. Malfoy taught it, and it focused on offensive spells, which was something that Lily was exceptional at, like her mother. Unlike Marlow, Malfoy only took a cursory glance at the material, saying they would practice applying techniques soon. He wanted the class to gain an understanding of the written material before forcing anyone to perform spells they were unfamiliar with.

Once class was finished Lily took her time gathering her things. Her body was still sore from earlier that day, and she thought she might just fall asleep in the classroom. She took out a piece of parchment and wrote a short letter to her mother. She took a little longer and wrote a more detailed note to Rose, knowing she appreciated longer letters. She wrote about her encounter with Frank Longbottom and their interesting conversation. She finally stood packed her things and left the classroom. She let out a loud, unpleasant sigh when she spotted Malfoy just outside.

"Potter can we talk?" He was leaning, casually against the wall. He made no move toward Lily.

"It's late," was all she said. She kept a distance between them.

"I can see that. You really shouldn't be out alone at this hour." Lily knew he was probably thinking of Marlow, and he was probably right.

"Right. I'll keep that in mind. But I am a big girl, I can take care of myself."

"I don't doubt that." He pushed himself off the wall. "I'll walk you back to the dorms."

"No thanks." Lily said brushing past him. "What makes you think I would feel any safer with you than with Marlow?"

"You should" was all he said. His smirk was no longer on his face, and despite her rejection of his offer he fell into stride next to her. "Look," he finally said once they were out of the building. "you can get into serious trouble for being out after curfew, and curfew is in about five minutes, so I suggest you let me walk with you."

Lily gagged. It was just like him to use his authority to get his way. "Fine." They walked in silence, and though he was escorting her, she refused to lose her dignity. "I'll be fine from here," she said when they reached the dorm ten minutes later.

"Not what you were expecting?" The smirk was back on his face, and Lily wanted nothing more than to slap it off.

"Huh?" Her drowsiness was weighing on her and she wasn't as sharp as she should have been.

"The Academy. Too much for you?" There was an arrogance to his voice, and it only spurred Lily on. Why did that smirk have to look so damn good on him? She didn't know if she wanted to hit him or pull him in for a kiss. Either would be a mistake, and she reminded herself that, and just who it was that was standing in front of her.

This was the second time her body was put to the test that day.

**AN: I'm back with this story. I finally found some inspiration, though the chapter is shorter than I wanted it to be. Hope you all liked it, and please let me know what you think, because I am not too sure if I am taking this in the right direction or not, though I have big plans for this story!**


	4. Unforgivables and Insurgents

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or the characters**

"It's about time Potter," Malfoy sneered as he spoke to the small red head. She wanted to tell him where he could shove that sneer, but held her tongue, knowing better. So she merely nodded and fell into line next to Eric. They had only been training for a week, but Lily felt quite comfortable with him, and even began developing a bond with Tash, who was trying to help Lily improve her physical test scores.

"You ok, Lily?" Eric whispered, hoping Malfoy wouldn't hear.

"Yeah," she looked at him, but didn't fool him. The circles under her eyes were dark and her entire demeanor no longer seemed optimistic. She hardly touched her food at meals, and often kept to herself.

It was time for an update on their progress for physical fitness, and Lily was dreading it. She worked on her running and strength training, though she wasn't sure she made much of an improvement.

"Hi Lily," Frank greeted her as though they were old friends, though according to him they were. "Are you ready for your run?"

"I suppose," she replied. Frank started the machine and Lily started off jogging, but quickly escalated to a full on run, giving her best effort to make the time. Halfway through Lily felt her will crumbling and she began to slow. She didn't want to face the end result, and when Frank stopped the machine he seemed troubled.

"Have you been working on your run?" His tone was one her father used when she snuck out of the house or pulled a prank on one of her cousins.

"Yes!" she sighed loudly and didn't bother hiding the irritation in her voice.

"Well you wouldn't know it from the looks of things. You've added over a minute to your time!" It was clear that Frank was not happy, but Lily didn't know what to say. "Do you know why it is so important to improve your run time? If you want to be a part of this war, you must be able to run if you are outnumbered or outmanned. You cannot always Apparate out of a situation, especially when you run the risk of them following you. Lily, you have to be able to run." She stepped off the black machine, with all its buttons and only one function.

"I've been training," was her lame response. She knew the importance, but wasn't sure she had it in her.

"Well train harder," he said before dismissing her.

After lunch Lily decided to go early to her class and study rather than roam the grounds. She didn't feel like being around anyone, and was hoping to impress in the classroom where she couldn't in the gym. She was surprised when she wasn't the first one there, despite her promptness.

"You following me Potter?" Malfoy didn't look up, but he didn't need to, to know it was her. He was dressed in a dark grey shirt rather thank his usual black, making his stormy eyes dance. His stance was casual as he was leaning with his back against the wall and his nose in a book.

"No," she said defiantly, tugging on the chain that her parents had given her on her seventeenth birthday that rested against her pale blue shirt. "What the hell are you doing here anyways? You teach the evening class." She tried not to let her curiosity trickle into her voice. Mirroring Malfoy's stance she leaned against the wall, though she knew she couldn't pull it off like he did.

"I decided to sit in on this class," he said as if it were obvious. He looked at her for a moment, his grey eyes examining every inch of her before dismissing her and turning back to his book. Lily pulled out her own book, deciding not to let him get under her skin.

After only a few minutes of silence Eric came walking up, stopping where Lily stood. He wiped his hands on his pants and then put them in his pockets, a habit Lily noticed not long after they met. Scorpius didn't notice his arrival, or at least betrayed no hint that he cared at all.

"Hey," Eric smiled widely. "I thought I might catch you here early." His white teeth contrasted his chocolate skin, making him look kind of handsome. His face was handsome, and though Lily thought he was gangly the first time she saw him, she now realized that he was merely lean, as opposed to Frank Longbottom who was built.

Lily set her book down, giving Eric her attention, though she would have rather kept reading. "Yeah, I like to come early and get ahead on the spells," she said holding up her book and gesturing to it. "Usually I'm alone," she said not bothering to keep her voice low. Eric avoided the slight at their instructor.

Malfoy, however, did not ignore it, and shut his book with a loud thud before walking to where Lily stood. "Potter," he hissed before looking at Eric, signaling for him to leave. The dark boy seemed torn, but the menacing look in Malfoy's eyes was too threatening and convinced him it was his queue to exit.

"Listen, and listen good," he said in a low venomous voice. "I will only tell you this once." His eyes bored into hers, his face only inches from hers as he backed her into the wall. "You do not disrespect me. Make no mistake I will not tolerate disobedience." He stood there eyeing the smaller girl, who was not backing down. Her jaw was set, stubborn, and her eyes were fierce. He couldn't help but admire the fire that he thought he saw on her first day, but which seemed to have dimmed over the past week. Neither moved for a long time. The small space between them heated up quickly. Lily was grateful that the wall was there, supporting her. Finally the tall blond pushed away from Lily. Without another word Scorpius was gone. Lily sunk to the floor, trying her hardest to suppress her hatred for the infuriating blonde.

Eric came back just before class started and said nothing, but entered the class with Lily and Tash. Lily was able to calm herself before class started, but avoided eye contact when Scorpius entered the room. The dull grey room seemed even bleaker than usual when Marlow entered. His usual sneer was replaced with a calm, excited smile that troubled Lily deeply. He reminded Lily of a cruel child that would pick the wings off butterflies for pure pleasure, often not even realizing how cruel the act truly was.

"Today," he said in a booming voice that reeked of excitement. "We will be practicing unforgivable curses. You must know them, and may even have to use them." He looked at Scorpius and then to Lily and smiled even wider. "They are called unforgivable, because performing them is just that. However, your enemies, deatheaters, will use them on you, and you must learn to defend yourself against them. I will teach you to fight them, or prepare you for what to expect when one is used on you."

The class was silent, and Lily felt tense despite the calm demeanor of Marlow. There was a long silence hanging in the air, adding to the apprehensive environment.

"It seems we need a volunteer." He finally said and looked around the room as though he thought someone would seriously volunteer. Lily knew her face was shocked into a look of nonchalance, while Eric appeared to have held his cool. Tash also seemed to be holding a perfect poker face.

"Why don't you practice on one of the owls?" Scorpius offered from the back of the room. Lily's eyes widened at the idea of practicing a spell on a defenseless owl, though she kept her mouth shut. It was hard, but she figured it was better than volunteering herself.

"I don't think so, Malfoy," Marlow said looking at Lily. He quickly looked away. "Zabini!" he called. Eric stood, but Marlow shook his head. "Natasha Zabini." Tash blinked a few times and took a large gulp of air before standing. Her brother looked horrified, but Lily grabbed his hand before he could protest, warning him.

"We will be practicing the Imperius curse," Marlow said dully. "You will need to have a strong defense to fight it, stronger than the person casting the spell." He smiled widely revealing his yellowing teeth. Without any indication he called out "_Imperio_." Tash was under the control of Marlow, and nothing Lily had seen at the Academy had troubled her so much.

Tash was helpless as she climbed on one of the chairs and the walked over to Marlow. Eric was gripping Lily's hand so tightly she thought it could fall off, but just allowed him whatever comfort it brought him. Tash was jumping in the air and then doing flips the next moment. Marlow didn't keep the curse up long, just long enough to prove his point—he held a power over them all.

"Let's have another volunteer," Marlow said before Tash reached her seat next to Eric, who was scanning his sister for any sign that she wasn't in her right mind. "Potter," he sneered. "You aren't afraid, are you?"

Lily sucked in a deep breath and held up her chin. "No," she said simply. Standing up from where she was seated she walked up to the front of the room. She braced herself for the curse, knowing he would give no prior indication. She felt fuzzy for a moment, and knew he was casting the spell. Her arm began to move despite her mind protesting it. She willed herself not to follow the commands, begging her body to obey her for once. She could feel the loss of control and continued to fight it. Though her mind should have been blank, she remembered her father telling her how to fight the curse that he beat it and she could too. She moved her arm back to where it previously rested at her side. Malrow's commands were still in her head, his will still fighting hers, but she was in control. He willed her to move toward him, but he was weaker than her, and though she knew she shouldn't she let the corners of her mouth turn up in a small smile. Marlow finally dropped his wand, and stared angrily at the small red head.

"Well," he finally said, "You held up well against the Imperius curse," he paused, hating to admit that she was a gifted witch. "But perhaps we should see how you hold up to another unforgivable. Shall we?"

The smile quickly disappeared from Lily's face and she briefly saw the look of horror on the faces of everyone around her.

"No," the cool, smooth voice of Malfoy echoed in the silent room. He stood gracefully, his blond hair tousled as always. He walked up to where Marlow stood, and though both were big men, Malfoy held himself taller, making Marlow shrink down before her eyes. For a moment Lily couldn't help but admire the tall blond who looked like an avenging angel. Like he was there to save her. But those feelings quickly faded.

"I'll do it," he said quietly. He had a grim look on his face as he turned to Lily.

"Even better," Marlow said without elaborating.

Malfoy looked at Lily with little emotion on his face. "There is no fighting this," he said softly despite his cold demeanor. For a moment Lily saw his face transform from hard coldness to soft, imploring, reminding her of the first night she met him. "_Crucio_," he said, and Lily forgot everything around her. The pain was unbearable, and she couldn't even find it in her to scream out in pain, instead crumbling to her knees. As quickly as the pain came it was gone. She felt a pair of arms around her, pulling her to her feet. Malfoy walked her to the back of the room, while Marlow took his place at the front of the class, seemingly satisfied.

"I am sorry," Malfoy whispered when he was sure Marlow couldn't hear. He helped Lily take a seat.

Lily didn't care. She could hardly look at Malfoy, and wanted nothing more than to be as far from him as possible. Instead of voicing her anger, trying to keep what little dignity she still had she kept quiet by focusing her attention on the spells that were being cast. They were done working with the unforgivable curses for the day, but Lily knew they would be coming back to them.

After class ended, she was the first one out of the room. She walked quickly, but Malfoy was still able to easily catch up to her. "Potter," he said as he reached her.

"Not now, Malfoy." She didn't care that she was being rude, or that Malfoy was a jerk. She just wanted to be away from him. Her feet kept moving quickly, but not fast enough to escape Malfoy.

"Potter listen to me," he said grabbing her arm and jerking her to a stop.

"What?" She said looking up at him through her lashes, a mixture of hurt and hate on her face.

"You shouldn't have set Marlow off like that," he said. But Lily couldn't listen to anymore before exploding.

"You know what?" she said loudly. "You're right. I should have just let him control me like a puppet. I shouldn't have followed my instincts, the ones my own father followed when this whole war began." She let out a loud breath and yanked her arm free of his grasp. "You're right," she said again, almost hysterically, "I deserved the Cruciatus! I deserved to writhe in pain! I deserved—"

"I never said that," Malfoy cut her off in a low voice. "You just need to keep your head down." The advice did nothing for Lily. She would never admit defeat.

"You were all too eager to be the one performing the curse." Lily couldn't help the hurt that seeped through into her voice. She didn't think he liked her, but she hadn't thought he wanted to hurt her like that. It was something she thought Marlow was capable of, but certainly not Malfoy—she was wrong and she hated being wrong.

"You don't understand," Scorpius hissed. "You're just too—" Scorpius struggled to find the words.

"I'm too what?" Lily cut him off. "I'm too young? Too stupid? Innocent? What the hell Malfoy?" She made no effort to keep her voice down, but they were alone, and no one would hear their conversation.

"Ugh!" Scorpius exclaimed, allowing the fiery red head to set off his temper. "You are so stubborn!" He turned away from her and stormed off.

Slightly shaken from their encounter Lily entered the large dining hall. She looked around for a familiar face, but could find none. She took a meal tray and sat at the nearest table, not paying attention to who was there. She stared at the blank white walls as she took small bites of her chicken meal, eating the entire thing.

After dinner Lily didn't go back to her room. She needed some peace and space from everything. She had only been walking for a few minutes when she heard her name called in the distance. She didn't turn to see who it was and kept walking, hoping they would leave her alone. Moments later she heard footsteps just behind her.

"Lils, didn't you hear me calling." Albus said from just behind her. Lily was happy to see her brother, though he left her with a lot of questions the last time they had spoken.

"I'm sorry, I figured it was one of the other trainees." Relief flooded through her at the sight of Albus's familiar face. He wasn't smiling as she remembered from when they were children, but he looked reassured to see her. His glasses were crooked, as they often were, but she was able to find comfort in his emerald eyes, reminding her of their father.

"I've been worried about you Lils." He took a deep breath and ran his hands through his messy black hair. He seemed stressed, and that was so different from the Albus she had always known growing up. "There's something I need to tell you, something I should have already told you, but couldn't." He was looking straight ahead as they continued waling, and he seemed to be leading them somewhere, but Lily trusted him and didn't ask where. "I shouldn't," he said doubtfully.

"Why shouldn't you?" Lily looked at her brother and pulled him to a stop. He wouldn't look at her, but she was relentless and forced him to look her in the eyes.

"You're so much like mum," he said out of the blue and then sighed. "We don't know who can be trusted or who will say something. I don't want to put you in more danger than you are already in." He looked miserable as he debated what to say to her.

He resumed walking, pulling Lily alongside him. "Al, I don't understand, please, you know me. I would never say anything. I'm still your sister. I'm still me." She whispered the last part as if it were a secret. She tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear waiting for her brother to explain.

"I'll be putting you in danger," he looked down at his feet as he took robotic steps in a general direction. "But," he said looking back at her finally, "I can see you're in danger either way. I know that much." He took a heavy sigh before continuing. "I told you not to trust Cam Marlow because we have reason to believe he, along with others, are here to infiltrate the Academy. We aren't sure how many others, Lils, but you have to be careful. Don't let him know you suspect a thing."

Lily's eyes widened, and her mind was a mess. She tried to process the information that she was given, but anger was at the front of her thoughts. He held so much power over Lily and the other trainees, and she wasn't sure how he planned to use them. "Others?" She finally choked out.

"Yes, we know some of those we can trust, like Longbottom, Telles, Jones, Thomas, Finnegan, but everyone else could be insurgents." Lily didn't recognize any of the names besides Longbottom, but her curiosity peaked.

"And Malfoy?" She asked hesitatingly.

"I think he can be trusted," he paused, "But James isn't so sure. But you know James holds on to things." Lily wasn't sure what things Albus was referring to, and she wasn't sure she wanted to know.

"What should I do Al?" Lily couldn't go home at this point, she was committed. And if what Al was saying was serious, then it seemed that home might not be entirely safe.

"Train hard, learn what you can. If things get bad I am still here and we'll get out together." They stopped walking, and Albus turned toward his baby sister. "I've told Frank to keep an eye on you. He will know what to do if things get out of control and I can't get to you for some reason."

Lily wasn't afraid, but something in her snapped, and she knew this was her shot at gaining all the experience she needed to fight a war. She wondered what reasons her brother would have for not finding her. She didn't want to think about that.

"I should get back," Lily said. The sun was down, and the sky was completely dark, and she knew curfew had passed.

"I'll walk you back," he said without a thought.

**AN: Chapter four…Yay! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, I know I loved writing it. I think the story is finally starting to heat up…I know it took a while. Anyways I would love some reviews for this story, because they inspire me and make me super happy! Thank you to those that have already reviewed, you all keep me going! **


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